Ornamented rubber article and method of making same



June 3, 1930. T. F. HOOPER 1,751,443

' ORNAMENTED RUBBER ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME ,Filed Aug. 25, 1928 i 1 1a I I W////////////////l //////////////////zl" I Big. .3.

I n ueni'or:

Zed Francis Hooper 29% WWW V Away Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE TED FRANCIS nooran, or AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB ro THE MILLER RUBBER COMPANY,

' or AKRON, OHIO, A'CORPORATION or 0310 OBNAMENTED RUBBER ARTICLE AN D METHOD OF MAKING SAME a lication filed August 25, 1928. Serial No. 302,095.

This invention relates to a method of ornamenting rubber articles and to the article formed by such method,and aims to produce an article provided with an ornamental surface of a quilted appearance.

' The invention is capable of being embodied in or employed in the manufacture of various articles embodying sheet rubber in their construction, but for purposes of disclosure of the invention, I have selected a bathing v nomical method of producing the same, and

the invention comprises the novel article and method hereinafter more specifically described and defined by the appended claims.

A11 embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through a platen and die.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the superposed ornament sheets produced by the action of the mechanism of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cap with the ornament sheets superposed thereon with the edges adhesively secured to the cap.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the completed ar- 1 ticle, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view tion.

y In proceeding according to my invention to form this ornamental article according to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, I place two superposed sheets 1 and'2 upon a flat steel plate or platen 3 and subject it to the action of a I these together along the line 1, the portion without the die being severed or so nearly severed that it can be readily pulled away' without interfering with the seamed edges,

showing a modificaas is well understood by those skilled in the art. 1 i

The seaming together of the sheets as illustrated in Fig. 1 produces an article having a closed edge or edges 1 and a small amount or modicum of .confined air between the sheets which results from the layin of the sheets flatwise against eachother. If the margins are allowed to contact first, a greater amount of air may be entrapped, if desired.

In Fig. 3, I have shown at 5, a bathing cap of the skull type as a convenient example of article to be ornamented, on which the ornament sheets produced by the die means of Fi 1 have been superposed as indicated at 1.

I then press the edges into adhering engagement with the cap sheet by means of a roller die similar to a pinking cutter, but

having a dull edge which will not cut the sheets. The ressure of this tool unites the margins of t e sheets more firmly together and also joins them to the cap sheet. This produces a completely closed ornament attached by its margins only to the carrying sheet and having 'withiniit a small quantity of entrapped air.

I then cause the roller to travel back and forth across the face of the ornament with in their closed margins on intersecting lines 2?. extending preferably from margin to margin.

This forms a plurality of isolated pockets 2 in which portions of the confined air are enclosed, causing the pocket wall portions of the upper sheet to be slightly puffed upward giving a quilted efiect. Preferably, I use for uniting the margins of the ornament sheets to the cap and for forming the intersecting lines of juncture, a roller die having a sinuous edge which produces a corresponding sinuous line on the margin or margins of the ornament and on the lines of intersection as illustrated in the drawing.

The ornament may be made of rubber contrasting in color to that of the cap and this, with the puffed or quiltedefl'ect, gives a very pleasing appearance.

A further ornamental appearance may be produced as illustrated by Fig. 5.

In proceeding according to this form, I

make the underlying sheet 1* slightly larger than the overlying sheet 2 and of a different color both to said sheet and to the cap sheet. I first superpose the sheet 1 on the cap sheet and roll down its edge with the roller die or its equivalent, and thereafter apply the sheet 2* and roll down its edge to confine the air within the space defined by its edges, and then roll the intersecting lines to produce the quilting eflect.

After the article has been produced as above described, it is cured or vulcanized in the customary manner as by a vapor cure.

Due to the larger area of the underlying ornament sheet, a border X is provided of a color contrasting to that of the cap sheet and the overlying ornament sheet 2*.

Obviously the two ornament sheets could be superposed before application to the cap. Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: l. The hereindescribed method which comprises superimposing one upon another, a plurality of sheets of uncured rubber adhesively uniting said sheets together about a defined area, thereafter adhesively uniting said sheets within said area on intersecting lines, and finally curing the rubber.

2. The hereindescribed method which consists in superposing one upon another a plurality of sheets of uncured rubber adhesively j oining said sheets about a defined area, with a modicum of confined air in the space defined by said area, adhesively uniting the sheets within said area on such lines of closed geometric form as to form isolated air pockets, and thereafter curing the sheets.

3. The hereindescribed method which consists in die seaming together a pair of sheets of uncured rubber by means of a die, having a continuous seaming edge to form an enclosed area, die seaming the sheets together within said area on intersecting lines, and

. curing the sheets.

4. The hereindescribed method which conslsts in superposmg on a foundation sheet of uncured rubber another sheet of contrasting color, superposingon said second sheet a.

third sheet of color contrasting to said first sheet, causing the edges of said third sheet to adhere to the underlying sheet, joining said third sheet to the underlying on intersecting lines, and thereafter curing the sheets.

5., A rubber article of manufacture comprising a foundation sheet, and a pair of superposed sheets united thereto and together at their marginal edges and also on intersecting lines within said edges.

6. An article of'manufacture comprising a rubber foundation sheet, a rubber sheet united thereto about a defined area thereof and confining a quantity of air within said area, the two sheets also being united on such lines of closed geometric form within said area as to confine the air in separate pockets.

7. An article of manufacture having an ornament united thereto, said ornament comprising a closed envelope of rubber having air therein and having its opposite Walls welded together on such lines of closed geometric form as to confine the air in separate pockets.

8. The herein described method which consists in die seaming together a pair of sheets of uncured rubber by means of a die having a continuous seaming edge to form an enclosed area, attaching the article so formed to a foundation sheet, die seaming all of the sheets together at points within said area, and curing the sheets.

In testimony whereof, I atfix my signature. 

